This invention relates generally to electronic guides and particularly to television guides, such as television program schedule guides. This invention also relates to detecting and selectively retrieving a television guide from a number of television signal sources.
Program guides that can be used to select programs for viewing or recording are commonly available in newspapers. An on-screen television guide is desirable so that a viewer can access the guide directly without consulting another media. It is desirable that apparatus and methods be provided to ensure that guide data for an on-screen television guide is always available.
On-screen television guides for VCRs are available in which television guide information is embedded in a television signal at the signal source and extracted at the viewer site. The signal source may be a cable head end, over-the-air broadcasting stations or satellite stations. This multiplicity of potential guide sources complicates the viewer""s ability to receive and access the desired on-screen television guide.
According to the present invention, apparatus and methods are provided for a television guide. In one embodiment the apparatus includes a device for comparing a current time with at least one stored time period to determine if the current time is within the stored time period, a device for switching a signal output from a first television signal source to a second television signal source, if guide information is not contained in the signal output from the first television signal source when the current time is within the stored time period, a device for extracting the guide information from the signal output when the current time is within the stored time period, and a memory for storing the extracted guide information.
In another embodiment the apparatus includes a device for controlling a tuner to tune to a plurality of channels in the first television signal source, when the current time is within the stored time period, a device for controlling a tuner to tune to a plurality of channels in the second television signal source, when the current timer is within the stored time period, and a device for locking the tuner on a channel containing guide information in order to permit extraction of the guide information from the channel, wherein the device for switching switches from the first television signal source to the second television signal source, if guide information is not contained in the signal output from the plurality of channels in the first television signal source.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus searches for guides from all sources of television signals, identifies the guides and allows the viewer to select the desired guide. The channel and transmission time for the viewer selected guide information is then stored in a memory for future data reception.
Other objects and many of the attendant features of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed descriptions and considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols designate like parts throughout the figures.